Conveyer-loading device.



PATENTED DEC. 31, 1907 J. L. WILSON. GONVEYER LOADING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 16. 1907.

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PATENTED DEC. 31. 1907. J. L. WILSON. GONVEYER LOADING DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED MAR.16,1907.

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Tu: :voRms zrsns COyWASHINGTON, 11 c4 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN L. WILSON, OF EVERETT, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO STEEL CABLE ENGINEERING COMPANY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

CONVEYER-LOADING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 31, 1907.

Application filed March 16. 1907. Serial No. 362,628.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that ,1, JOHN L. WrLsoN, a citizen of the United States, residing in Even ett, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Oonveyer-Loading Devices, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters on the drawings representing like parts.

My invention relates to loading devices and particularly, though not exclusively, to those employed in loading conveyers and wherein a hopper or bin in which material is stored is provided with a chute and gate for controlling the amount of material delivered to the conveyer.

My invention aims generally to improve devices of this type providing a gate of novel construction and simple and effective means for operating the same. The above, however, together with other novel features and objects of my invention, will be best understood and appreciated from the following description and accompanying drawings of a conveyer apparatus and loading device embodying one form of my invention and selected for purposes of illustration, its scope being more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings; Figure l, is a side elevation with parts broken away, of a selected embodiment of my invention showing the adjacent portions of a loading device and conveyer. Fig. 2, a plan view of the same, to show the chute, its controlling gate, and the adjacent portions of the conveyer below it; Fig. 3, a transverse vertical section, from the right, on line 33, Fig. 1 Fig. 4, a detail in left side elevation and ona somewhat larger scale, showing the loading device with its gate closed and about to be opened by the movement of the conveyer in presenting a bucket in loading position below it; and, Fig. 5, a similar detail, with parts broken away, to show the gate opened and in the position in which it is maintained while loading one of the buckets.

Referring to the drawings and to the particular embodiment of my invention herein selected for purposes of illustration, 1 represents the bottom portion of a bin or hopper, B, in which the material to be loaded is stored. This bin or hopper may obviously be of any usual or desired construction, but as herein shown, (Figs. 1 and 4) is provided with the usual inclined walls 2, which direct the contained material toward the orifice in the bottom of the hopper and into a preferably inclined chute 3, secured, in any suitable manner, to the bottom of the hopper. This chute directs the flow or run of the ma terial received from the hopper, into or upon the conveyer, O, arranged below it. This conveyer may be of any suitable or desired type, one of preferred construction being hereinafter more particularly described. As here shown, however, it is preferably provided with a plurality of conveying elements, for example, buckets, 4, which are to be successively loaded as they are moved to and from loading position relative to the chute 3 by the movements of said conveyer. As usual with hoppers and chutes of this type, the open end or mouth of the chute is provided with a suitable closing device for normally arresting the flow of material. In the present instance, I preferably provide for this purpose, an oscillatory gate, 5, of general U shape, having its normally vertical or upturned arms, 5 pivotally and exteriorly mounted, as at 6 (Figs. 1 and 4), to the vertical sides or end walls ofthe chute and preferably at one side and in rear of the center line thereof.

WVith the gate closed the entire weight of the material in the chute and that of the superincumbent mass resting thereon rests upon the closing member of the gate, 5, and exerts more or less pressure thereon, so that to move the same forwardly to open, or rearwardly to close it, said movements are resisted by the friction produced by the mate rial which rests upon it. Various types of gates and closing devices have been em ployed or pro osed for closing the mouth of the chute an for controlling the movement of material therethrough, but of these the sliding gate is the least disadvantageous but is nevertheless objectionable in that considerable force is required to overcome-said friction and to close the gate and much more than is required in my device, which is a feature of considerable importance, inasmuch as when it is desired to arrest the flow of material, the gate should be closed rapidly. To secure such movement, I rovide suitable means for diminishing the 'riction between the mass of material within the chute and the closing member of the gate, 5, and I also provide means for increasing the moment and thereby the velocity of closure.

-As herein shown, the walls of the chute, 3, are provided with bottom edges, 7, (dotted lines, Fig. 4) which are concentric with the pivot, 6, of said gate, and the closing member ofthe latter is eccentric therewith, as best shown in Figs. 1 and 4, the upper and outer portion of said closing member receding from the upper front and adjacent end of the chute, while the lower and rear portion or edge of said gate is substantially tangent tinual increase in friction between said closing member and the mass of the material in the chute arrested thereby. With such construction, it is evident that the frictional area, the amount of friction, and hence the force required'to produce such closing movement of the gate will increase as the gate is moved from its open towards its closed position owing to the increasing area of the closing member presented to and to arrest the flow of material within the chute. By my construction, however, only the rear portion of the closing member, the left, Figs. 4 and 5, slides rearwardly and concentrically over the concentric ends of the chute to cut oil and arrest the flow of material by the closing movement of the gate. During this closing movement the front portion of this closing member, as it moves rearwardly, re cedes from the said concentric ends of the chute over which the closing edge, 9, Fig. 5, of the gate has just passed, permitting the confined material still to flow a limited distance in the direction in which it was moving and until again arrested by the receding or eccentric portion of the gate. Nearly all of the friction which retards the closing of the gate is produced between said closing edge, 9, and the material arrested thereby. This construction therefore greatly diminishes the amount of friction relative to constructions in which gates are provided with concentric closing members, where the amount of force required to close the gate is much greater and increases with the closing of the gate. Furthermore by providing a gate having an eccentric closing member, the movement of the flowing material as it falls upon said eccentric portion and is arrested thereby, imparts additional momentum and hence velocity of closure due to the increase in the moment of force and by which the gate is automatically closed. The closing movement. of the gate is thus rapidly effected until the closing end, 9, strikes the bottom or stop member 10, (Fig. 5,) of the rear wall of the chute. In moving in the reverse direction or opening the gate and as the rear portions, 9, of the closing member, which is more nearly concentric with the curved chute ends, move forward, the material in front of it is lifted and thrown rearward toward the opening formed by the opening movement of said gate, thereby dislodging the packed material within the chute and setting it in motion for loading the conveyer. While this gate may obviously be operated by any suitable means, hand or otherwise, in the present embodiment of my invention, I preferably provide means for automatically controlling it by and with the movements of the conveyer or the buckets or conveying ele ments carried thereby. As here shown, (see Figs. 2 and 3), the angular arms 5 of the gate are pivotally and adjustably connected by, links 11 with horizontal operating levers 12, pivotally mounted at their rear ends upon a horizontal supporting shaft 12 supported at its opposite ends in vertical brackets 13, at the sides of the conveyer. are adjustably and pivotally connected with These levers the lower ends of the links 11, here shown as of each lever is provided with a vertical slot 15, to receive a bushing 16, by which it is fulcrumed on said shaft 12 adjusting bolts 17, being provided for adjusting and securin the bushing at desired elevation. As wifi presently be shown, these adjustments provide suitable means for varying the times of opening and closing the gate and hence the amount of material loaded into each bucket. The bottom edges of these levers arecurved to form wedge or cam surfaces, 12, 12" and are provided with leather pads, 18, adapted to bear upon and be engaged by a part of the movable conveyer for swinging the same about their fulcrum 12 As will presently be more particularly described, the swinging movements of these levers raise and lower their front ends to move said links and thereby open and close said gate, the closing I to cooperate with the leather protected faces of said levers to cause periodical elevation and permit depression thereof- Obviously, any desired or usual construction of conveyer may be used so long as elements are provided to cooperate with and to actuate said levers, but I preferably provide a conveyer of the type herein shown, comprising a plurality of chains, 20, Fig. 3, between which the buckets 4 are preferably centrally hung for free swinging movement. These chains are composed of a plurality of links, 21, (Figs. 4 and 5), pivotally connected together by a plurality of long pins, 22, (Figs. 2 and 3), and short pins, 23, said long and short pins being alternately arranged, the long pins extending across the conveyer for connecting the chains at the sides of the conveyer together and, in the present instance, also providing operating members to cooperate with the levers ].2 for automatically governing and moving the gate of the loading device. The chains at the sides of the conveyer are each double and parallel, betweenwhich andremovably journaled on said long and short pins, are wheels, 24, adapted to run on tracks 25, as the conveyer is positively driven when operating the same.

These tracks may be supported in any suitable manner and form part of a conveyer system of any well known commercial type such, for example, as that shown in the patent to Decker, 630,801, to which reference may be made for a more detailed description than is given here. Pivotally mounted on the short studs or pins, 23, are hangers, 26, provided with suitable studs, 27, (Fig. 4), at theirlower ends, upon which said buckets, 4, are hung. The tops of these buckets are, in the present instance, preferably rectangular in cross section, their length being approximately equal to that between the long pins and; their breadth somewhat wider than the width of the chute, 3, and said gate, 5, so that when the latter is opened, the bucket or buckets will catch all the material which flows from the chute.

Referring now to Figs. 2 and 3, the construction and arrangement described is such that the conveyer and said levers 12 and links 1] pivoted to the ends of said chute, are adapted to oscillate between the vertical sides or walls 28 of the buckets 4, in which position the leathered cam faces of said levers are actuated. by the long pins 22, as the conveyer with its buckets moves under the loading device.

Referring to Figs. 4 and 5, the rear cam surfaces 12 incline downwardly and forwardly, so that when the conveyer moves forward the levers, which are successively or periodically engaged by the long pins 22, will first be elevated by the horizontal and forward movement of said pins. These cam surfaces are relatively long to produce a gradual opening of the gate. The cam surfaces 12 however, turn up more abruptly so that as said pins 22 move thereunder, the levers may swing down rapidly to close the gate.

' In the present embodiment of my invention, the conveyer herein shown is of a commercial gravity bucket type adapted and employed for loading and unloading coal. This conveyer has a movement from left to right, (Figs. 1, 4 and 5), represented by the arrow on said. figures. Referring to Fig. 4, the conveyer is shown as moving to a position to present one of the buckets 4 below the mouth of the chute 3, the long pin. 22 at the left of said bucket, bearing upon the long leathered cam faces 12 of said levers 12 and about to elevate the same to open the chute gate upon further movement of the conveyer towards the right. In Fig. 5, the gate has been opened as the conveyerand said bucket 4 have moved farther to the right to position the bucket to receive a load of material released by the opening of the gate. In this position, it will be noted that the long pin, 22, has advanced. and has by the action of said levers, opened the gate to its fullest eX- tent. Further movement of said conveyer moves the long pin 22 further to the right and permits the more abruptly turned wedge or cam faces 12 of said levers to fall again, but more quickly than when elevated. This closing movement of the gate is effected by the combined action of the weight of the said levers, links, and gate, the weight of the arrested material engaging said gate, and

particularly by the eccentric arrangementof the closing member of said gate.

By the adjustments provided for the opposite ends of said levers 12, relative to their fulcrum on the supporting shaft 12 or to their linked connection with said gate, the time at which the long pins 22 will operate on said levers to open the gate or permit its rapid closure, may be varied to suit the conditions or requirements of the work, it being obvious that as the front or rear ends are lowered, the gate may be opened earlier and when raised the time of opening may be delayed.

In 0 eration, assuming the conveyer to be in motion, as the long pin 22 in rear of one of the buckets, referring to the direction of motion of said conveyer, is moved into position to engage the leathered cam faces of said levers 12, the latter are first elevated to raise the links and swing the gate forward about it's pivot 6, to open said gate immediately as the bucket in front of said pin is simultaneously moved into loading position relative to the mouth of the chute. This gate will remain open until said pin moves forward to the position indicated in Fig. 5, when further forward movement will permit the upwardly curved and gate-connected ends of said levers to fall to effect closure of said gate.

The movement of the conveyer being sub stantially uniform, the gate remains open a predetermined time, consequently a predetermined amount or volume of material will pass through the chute into the bucket below 1t, the amount of load for each bucket or the weight of materialtherein, being the same.

Bymy invention, I have rovided very simple and effective means or effecting a rapld closure of the loading device and with a minimum amount of friction and preferably automatically and also adjustable inegns for regulating the weight or amount of While in the present embodiment of my in vention I have described the same with reference to a s ecific type of conveyer, and with preferred operating means for automatically controlling the same, obviously my invention is not limited thereto, nor to the specific details of construction and arrangement herein selected for purposes of illustration only, it being understood that the same may be modified within Wide limits without departing from the spirit and scope thereof.

1. In a device of the-type described, conveying means comprising a plurality of material carriers, a loading device therefor, provided with agate and adjustable lever means arranged in the path of and operated by said conveying means to open and close said gate and for regulating the time of openingand closing.

2. In'a device of the type described, a loading device comprising a bin or hopper provided with a delivery chute, a gate for closing and opening the same and normally maintained closed by the material within said chute and provided with a closing member provided with means for reducing the friction of closing. j

3. In a device of the type described, a loading device comprising a bin or hopper provided'with a delivery chute, agate for closing and opening the same normally maintained closed by the material within said chute and provided with a closing member adapted upon closing said gate to present a portion thereof in receding relation to the adjacent portion of said chute.

4. In a device of the ty e described, a loading device provided wit 1 a chute and a gate ivoted to said chute having a closing mem er tangentially eccentric relative to the bottom of said chute.

5. In a device of the type described, a hopper provided with a chute, an oscillatory gate for opening and closing the latter, a le I ver having a cam face an adjustable link connected with said gate and with said lever and a conveyer provided with cooperating members to engage the cam face of said lever for operating said gate.

6. In a device of the type described, a conveyer provided witha plurality ofconveying elements or buckets, a pair of levers fulcrumed adjacent to and at the sides of said conveyer adapted to be simultaneously 0perated. by the movements of said conveyer and a hopper provided with a chute having a gate connected with said levers to be operated thereby.

7. In a device of the type described, a con- I veyer provided with a plurality of conveying elements or buckets, a lever fulcrumed adjacent said conveyer and a hopper provided with a chute having agate connected with said lever to be operated thereby, said lever having a cam surface to be engaged by said conveyer and provided with one or more ad justments for varying the position of said.

cam face for predeterminately varying the time of the opening of said gate or the closing thereof.

8. In a device of the type described, a

chute having end walls, a gate pivotally connected. with said walls, a conveyer, a lever having a cam face rovided with anti wear means, such as leat ier arranged in the path of said conveyer and connected with said gate for o erating the same, said conveyer having a pqurality of spaced members to cooperate wlth said lever for periodically actuating the same to open said gate.

during the opening and closing movements of said gate whereby the same may be automatically loaded.

10. In' a device of the type described, a chute, a gate pivotally connected therewith, a conveyer comprising a plurality of spaced members and conveying elements arranged between them and adapted to be positioned beneath said. chute during the opening and closing movements of said gate, and a lever connected-with said gate and provided with a cam face presenting means to effect a gradual opening movement of said. gate and abrupt closing thereof and arranged in the path of said spaced conveyer to be operated thereby.

11. Ina device of the type described, a chute provided with a gateclosing device, a conveyer, lever means having cam surfaces adapted to be actuated by a conveyer member for predeterminately actuating said lever and to open and maintain said gate opened for a predetermined time, and means for adjusting the position of said cam surfaces relative to said conveyer member for varying the. opening and closing movements of said gate.

12. In a device of the type described, conveyer means, a hopper having a chute provided with an oscillatory'gate for opening and closing the same, and connected mechanism arranged in the path of said conveyer means, for opening and closing said gate and also for varying the time of opening and closing.

13. In a device of the type described, a loading device provided with a chute and an oscillatory gate for opening and closing said chute, said gate being fulcrumed upon said chute and having a closing member adapted to slide across the end of the chute and presenting an operating or material arresting face arranged eccentrically relative to the fulcrum of said gate.

14. In a device of the type described, a loading device provided with a chute and an oscillatory gate pivoted thereto at one side of the center line of said chute, whereby the moment force acting to effect movement in one direction is greater than in the other.

15. In a device of the type described a hopper provided with a forwardly extending inclined chute 3, an oscillatory gate 5 having angular arms 5 pivotally connected with said chute in rear of the center line thereof and means adapted to be actuated by a device to be loaded for controlling said gate.

16. In a device of the type described, a hopper provided with an inclined chute and an oscillatory gate pivotally connected with said chute in rear of the center line thereof, said gate having a material arresting or releasing surface arranged eccentrically relative to the pivotal support of said gate, the

front portions of which are at greater dis-- tances from said support than the rear or bottom portions thereof.

17. In a device of the type described, a hopper provided with an inclined chute, an oscillatory gate 5 having angular arms 5 pivotally connected with said chute in rear of the center line thereof, and means adapted to be actuated by a device to be loaded for operating or controlling said gate, said gate having a material arresting or releasing surface arranged eccentrically relative to the pivotal support of said gate, the front portions of which are at greater distances from said su port than the rear or bottom portions thereof? 18. In a device of the type described, a hopper provided with a chute, an oscillatory gate therefor having a closing member arranged eccentrically relatively to the end of said chute, a conveyer and'means intermedi ate the same and said gate for controlling the opening and closing movements of the latter.

19. In a device of the type described, a hopper provided with a chute, an oscillatory gate therefor, a conveyer, and means intermediate the same and said gate for controlling the opening and closing movementsof the latter, said means comprising lever means connected with said gate and arranged in the path of said conveyer and said conveyer having a plurality of long pins 22 and short pins 23, alternately arranged with said long pins, conveying elements carried by said short pins to permit free swinging movement thereof between said long pins, said long pins extending across the conveyer and adapted to effect movement of said. lever means for operating said gate for successively loading said conveying elements, and said lever means having provision for adjustment for varying the position thereof relative to said conveyer thereby to vary or regulate the opening and closing movements of said gate.

20. In a device of the type described, a hopper provided with an inclined chute, a gate pivoted to the sides thereof, a conveyer, an upright at the side of said conveyer, and a lever pivotally connected tothe head of said upright and also connected by an adjustable link with said gate, said lever having a cam surface arranged in the path of said convey er tobe operated thereby for opening and closing said gate.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN L. WILSON. Witnesses:

ROBERT H. KAMMLER, SIDNEY F. SMITH. 

